


Show Me

by alabasterclouds



Series: Just One Of Eleanor's Little Things [2]
Category: The Good Place (TV)
Genre: Age Play, Carrying, Childhood Trauma, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Diapers, Drunken Confessions, Drunkenness, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Non-Sexual Age Play, Vulnerability, Wetting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 02:20:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16610039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alabasterclouds/pseuds/alabasterclouds
Summary: Eleanor, Tahani, Simone, and Janet have a girls' night out after a particularly trying session of the study. But Eleanor, different from usual, seems a bit introverted this evening and drinks way too much. Tahani notices Eleanor getting drunker and drunker, and ends up having to deal with Eleanor as she's not only physically messy, but mentally messy, as well. The two finally discuss their childhood trauma and end up breaking through to another level of their relationship.Warning: This is an ageplay fic and as such, I encourage you to carefully read the tags and read at your own risk. If you don't love ageplay, cool! Please pass this one on by and let those of us who do, enjoy it. Thanks :)





	Show Me

Of course, it would end up like this, thought Tahani. That's just what stereotypical lesbian movie relationships are.

But looking down at the tiny blonde woman curled in her arms, crying as if her heart would break, maybe it's not _so_ stereotypical. After all, it's not every day that Tahani even drinks that much beyond a quiet glass of Prosecco while listening to the end of Oscar Wilde on CD (one of the best presents she'd ever gotten, if she says so herself). And it's not every day that she even goes out with other women. A "girls' night" just seemed to be beyond her purview, until one night after a long day having electrodes hooked up to their heads, Eleanor had irritably pulled them off (and sworn as the glue pulled out a choice lock of hair at the same time) and announced that she needed a drink. Preferably many drinks. Right now.

Tahani looked vaguely surprised. "Eleanor. Must you? I mean, I know that you require alcohol to practically function lately, but I'm not sure Simone is quite finished for today and we really should --"

"Lately?" Eleanor snarked, tossing the electrodes carelessly to the floor and ignoring Chidi's pained expression as he picked them up and carefully disentangled them. "You all must have seen enough of the inside of my brain to recreate it in a paint-by-number art kit by now. I'm done, suckas." She picked up her jean jacket, lying on a chair inside the MRI room, and winked at Simone. "Come on, hottie. You look thirsty."

Simone, used to Eleanor's antics, simply winked back. "I'd love to go for a drink, but I really have to finish these notes, Eleanor."

"Also, can I say something?" asked Chidi. "Can we not always rush to that weird American bar this time? The last time I had a beer there, I thought my stomach was going to fall out."

Eleanor's face softened, but only slightly. "It's okay, buddy. This one can be for girls only. Janet!" she called, and the virtual assistant slinked into the room with a bright "Bing!"

Janet's face darkened as she watched them all watching her walk into the room. "Can you . . . can you just not watch? It's so embarrassing," she muttered. "Anyway, Eleanor." She fixed the smaller woman with a bright smile. "How can I help?"

"We're going out, babe. Put on your nicest vest."

"Oh," said Janet, looking discomfited. "I do have to tell you - Janets don't drink. Or eat. Or have any bodily functions at all."

"That's okay," said Eleanor, slinging an arm around Janet and smiling wickedly as Janet first looked uncomfortable, then flattered, then awkwardly put an arm around Eleanor's shoulders. "You can come for the company."

Chidi looked a little left out, and Tahani put a gentle hand on his arm. "Chidi, darling, you're also welcome to come. Please disregard Eleanor's . . . uncouth behaviour in deliberately not inviting you," she said, shooting a glare in Eleanor's direction. Eleanor stuck her tongue out at Tahani in return.

Chidi smiled, a bit tightly. "That's okay, Tahani. I've got a stack of reading I'd like to do, and lessons to plan for the next week. And you are going to go to that American bar, aren't you?"

Tahani opened her mouth to tell him that she wouldn't set another foot in there if her life depended on it, but Eleanor interrupted her before she could speak. "You bet your boots, nerd. I love that place."

"Is it because it's just as declasse as you are?" muttered Tahani under her breath, and then yelped in pain as Simone dug her in the ribs.

"If you can't say something nice . . . " Simone prompted, and Eleanor grinned as Tahani rubbed her side and glared at both.

"Oh, fine. We'll go and eat grease-covered food and drink the 'house wine'," - at this, Tahani could barely contain a gag - "and you all can dance around like hooligans while I text my friend Cate Blanchett and see if she'd like to actually drink real wine at a true eating establishment."

Eleanor gave Tahani a sidelong glance. "I mean, that sounds great, babe, but I don't know if Cate could break it down like us!" With that, she hit a button on her phone and loud dance music poured out. Grabbing Simone's hand, she twirled her around a few times before Simone, laughing, tossed Eleanor's phone at her and broke away.

"Let's go, ya goofball. I'm done with this day."

"Hear, hear," said Chidi, looking exhausted as he ushered them out and let Simone lock the door of the MRI room. "I'll be glad to go home and read French poetry with some actual Scotch tonight."

"Oh, you're all so _classy_ ," sneered Eleanor. "Listen here, if Jason was here, he'd be happy to go and trash it up with me at the American bar. None of you guys are any fun, you know that?" Her voice was light, but there was a plaintive note in it that Tahani didn't miss. She came up to Eleanor, smaller than all the others and puffed out like a pigeon, and put a gentle arm around her.

"Darling, I'm sure we'll all have a grand time. You're right; we're being a bit silly. What is it that Americans say? We're 'slumming it' this evening? I'm sure I'm up for that, at least for a little while!"

Eleanor tipped her pretty, piquant face up to Tahani's and gave her a dazzling smile that made her blue eyes sparkle. "Well, then, that's more like it! Come on, hottie. You and I are gonna tear it up!"

Simone, her dark eyes glowing, came over with a laugh. "Well, I guess we'll see how well Tahani dances! I don't think I've seen her dance at all on these nights out."

Janet piped up, "Tahani can dance very well. She took ballroom, jazz, tap, and ballet from the time she was three."

Tahani turned a pleased expression to Janet. "That's exactly right. Though I'm not sure I'm fluent in . . . whatever it is Eleanor is doing," she trailed off, and they all turned to watch Eleanor, her phone music back on, dancing wildly around the hallway.

"Never mind, babe. You'll pick it up fast. You too, Janet!"

Tahani rolled her eyes and let Eleanor pull her out the door into the dazzling evening sunshine. This would be her first "girls' night out" with this particular group of women (and Janet). It should prove to be interesting, if nothing else.

//~//

Tahani had wanted to go home and change first, but Eleanor had simply pulled her towards the stand of cabs parked in a semi-circle around the university's driveway. "Oh, Tahani, you look fine," she'd said. 

There was a strange intensity to Eleanor today, Tahani thought. She usually swung between apathetic and overexcited, but today she just seemed like a bloodhound on the scent. She wanted to get to that bar, and she wanted to get there, right now.

Simone and Janet followed at a more sedate pace. "I'm not sure what I'll do while you're all drinking," said Janet. "As I say, I'm not even sure Janets can drink. I've never tried."

"Well, there's a first time for everything," drawled Simone, her elegant long legs encased in a very well-cut pair of jeans, Tahani thought. If Tahani was to ever wear jeans, well, she knew who to ask about them! Simone actually looked very put together, with a blazer carelessly thrown on over a tailored blouse, and while it wasn't Tahani's style, she did appreciate Simone's look. Simone caught Tahani checking her out and gave her a knowing wink.

"I just got this blazer," she said. "On sale at fifty off, you can't beat that."

"No, of course not," agreed Tahani, trying to seem as if she knew what it was like to shop sale items. "What a steal!"

Simone laughed. She knew Tahani and her personally tailored dresses were in no way ever bought on sale. "It was, I'll tell you that." She exchanged a conspiratorial smile with Janet. "Do you have a favourite item of clothing that you got on sale, Tahani?"

Tahani opened her mouth to answer, while frantically riffling through her wardrobe in her mind, when Eleanor stamped a small foot. "Okay, okay, enough chitchat, are we getting in this cab or what?" Eleanor decidedly didn't look put together, though Tahani always thought she looked adorable, like a little blonde Dresden doll. She was dressed carelessly in a T-shirt and jeans, as usual, her hair pushed out of her face impatiently. Somehow, though, thought Tahani - Eleanor's hair always fell perfectly, no matter what she did with it. And while she didn't wear much makeup, it always seemed to look as fresh as the moment she put it on.

Tahani gave Eleanor a patient smile. "Yes, darling, we are." She climbed in and Eleanor scooted across the seat to be sandwiched in the middle of Janet and Tahani. Simone took the front seat, and they drove to the bar, Eleanor digging both Tahani and Janet in the ribs to "move over! God!"

Tahani, her face set, finally gave Eleanor a not-so-ladylike push back. "Eleanor, I know there isn't much room back here, but you _are_ going to have to just sit patiently until we get there, darling," she ground out through clenched teeth. Janet just smiled serenely, but when Eleanor wasn't looking, she gave Tahani a clearly wicked grin more in keeping with Bad!Janet.

Eleanor slumped in her seat, sulking, but then got lost in her phone for a few minutes, giving Tahani a chance to think. Something was definitely up with Eleanor today.

They arrived at the bar, Eleanor springing ahead to the door. Tahani couldn't repress a shudder as she stepped through the heavy brass-fitted doors, holding it for Janet, who looked a bit mystified. Of course, they'd all been here before, but Janet and Michael had been there on afterlife business, not for fun. Simone just looked amused. Only Eleanor's face brightened - pleased, Tahani imagined, by the pure trashbaggery of such an ostentatious mess of an American restaurant. She probably thought that it felt like home.

Not for the first time, Tahani considered Eleanor and Jason, and how similar they were. From broken, strange homes with not a lot of money, they both had their issues and they both liked similar things. However, Jason was just so much calmer than Eleanor was on any given day, and his happy-go-lucky outlook in life had served him well. Eleanor nearly always seemed to be on the brink of a tantrum, when she wasn't trying to actively annoy everyone around her. Chidi seemed to understand her best, sighed Tahani, but since that night where Eleanor had ended up in Tahani's bed the night of her dinner party, she felt a little warmer towards the prickly little woman. And Eleanor was trying, most of the time. There was a heart of gold behind that trashbag exterior, and Tahani knew it.

Janet went ahead to grab a table for them, while Eleanor grabbed Simone's hand and pulled her up to the bar to order their first drinks. Tahani was well aware that she wouldn't get anything half-decent here, so she ordered a lemon water and watched as Simone and Eleanor ordered sickly sweet-looking Cosmos, clinked glasses, and drained them in a matter of minutes. Tahani had really never seen anyone drink so fast in her entire life. She had barely sipped her water at all!

Janet declined any drinks, though she did sniff Eleanor's Cosmo ("out of curiosity only", she said. "Janets are always learning!"). Instead, she perused the menu and pointed out odd-looking food like fried pickles and Snickers bars, and a "double down, whatever that is," sniffed Tahani.

"Listen," said Eleanor, halfway down her second Cosmo, her eyes glinting in the garish lights of the bar, "a double down is one of the best inventions that foodmakers ever came up with. It's two fried chicken breasts with cheese and bacon in the middle of it. KFC invented it and while it might be a heart attack, without a bun, it's damn good for Atkins dieters."

"Good Lord," exclaimed Tahani, unable to keep back her disgust. "You mean to say people actually _eat_ that?" Even Simone looked a little green, and Janet piped up happily.

"They sure do. The double down was the most ordered sandwich in the two months following its release. I can only imagine it was the novelty of it all."

"Well," drawled Eleanor, "their version can't be as good as KFC's, but I'm sure it'll do." She waved at the waitress. "Hey! Legs! Over here!"

Tahani looked appalled. "Eleanor. Must you _really_?"

"Yes, I must," Eleanor mocked Tahani's upper-crust English accent, causing an eyeroll from Tahani, and immediately and excitedly pointed at the menu. "That, please. And an order of fried pickles for my friend Tahani here."

Tahani gave up. Clearly she was going to have to lower her standards to deal with Eleanor tonight. 

An hour or so later, Eleanor was decidedly drunk. Proving quite accurately that the bigger you are, the more alcohol you can hold - and vice versa - she was swaying dangerously on the dance floor as she'd followed up her two Cosmos with several shots of straight tequila, no chaser. Simone, who had quit drinking after two Cosmos and one shot to keep Eleanor company, was practically holding her up as the two jumped around the neon-light squares.

Tahani sat back, her legs crossed, watching Janet reading a newspaper at top speed and wondering how no one else was noticing. "Can you really understand all that?" she asked, though she knew the answer.

Janet looked up brightly and nodded. "Absolutely. I'm already through last week's news, too. I do have to say, a lot of interesting things seem to happen here in Australia!"

"Well, it is an interesting place," replied Tahani politely, her mind not really on the conversation, as she watched Eleanor slip and tumble onto her bottom. Half-rising to go to her, she sat down again as Eleanor sprang back up and started doing a very odd version of the Macarena. 

"You know, Janet, I'm not entirely sure Eleanor's all right," she said, and Janet looked over at her.

"No, her blood alcohol level is quite high. I'd recommend she stop drinking. She'll be quite sick fairly soon." Janet's perfect brow creased slightly. "I actually think we should probably go. Eleanor may lose consciousness."

"Good Lord," grumbled Tahani, getting to her feet. "Well, you can help me get her out of here," she snapped, then put an apologetic hand on Janet's arm. "Sorry, darling. This is just the fourth time I've had to drag her, kicking and screaming, out of establishments like these. Usually Chidi's here to help."

Janet gave Tahani a sympathetic smile. "You're a good friend. Unfortunately, that's the function of the sober friend in these situations."

Shaking her head slightly, realizing that Janet really did know everything, Tahani strode up to Eleanor and Simone and caught Simone's eye. "I think it's likely time we ought to be going," she said, shooting a sidelong glance at Eleanor, who was dancing wildly. "I'm not sure the little one has much left in her."

Simone nodded. "Yes, I recognize this stage of Eleanor drunkenness," she said dryly. "Next she'll be tossing it all over the taxi floor, and I'm not sure I've got enough cash on me to pay off the driver this time."

"Oh darling, don't fret about that. Let's just get her home before she does anything untoward," replied Tahani, and turned to Janet and Eleanor. Janet had gotten Eleanor to stop dancing, but she clearly hadn't been able to curb Eleanor's disappointment - there was a big pout on the tiny blonde woman's pretty face.

"But we're having so much fun!" slurred Eleanor, stumbling slightly into Janet, who helpfully held her up. "I don't want to go home yet."

"I know, darling," said Tahani, "but I'm really feeling like it's time. It's quite late, you know, and I believe Chidi's set us an exam for tomorrow."

"Oh, fuck Chidi," said Eleanor, her tone offhand. "I'll just fail it anyway."

"You didn't fail the last one," Simone reminded Eleanor, ushering her towards the door. "And you've got one of the highest marks in the class, after Tahani." She winked at Tahani, who beamed back at her.

"Fuck Tahani," muttered Eleanor, seemingly forgetting Tahani was right there. Tahani politely ignored her, and hailed a cab.

"I'll take her home if you'd like to be on your way," she said to Simone, who gratefully nodded. After a wave and hugs all around (Eleanor proved to be slightly hard to detach and kept placing sloppy kisses on Simone's cheek), she was gone, taking the cab that Tahani had hailed with a nod of thanks.

Janet looked concerned. "I think I'll stay with you for now, if that's all right. She's not doing too well," she said, nodding to Eleanor, who Tahani was almost entirely holding up on her own. Eleanor was rubbing at her eyes and muttering, swaying away from Tahani and then crashing back into her. Finally, Tahani steered her to a bench and sat her down, sitting beside her and rubbing her back. 

"How are you holding up, darling?"

Eleanor looked at Tahani owlishly. "'M fine," she slurred. "Go home, Tahani, 'm fine."

"Absolutely not," said Tahani, gratefully accepting a cold water bottle that Janet had seemed to conjure from nowhere, and unscrewing it for Eleanor. Eleanor took several tries to grab the bottle, and then promptly spilled a large glug of it over her T-shirt. She immediately started to shiver.

"Oh, Eleanor, you really are a mess," said Tahani, sounding exasperated. She held the bottle to Eleanor's lips and felt a stab of both frustration and warm affection for the tiny blonde woman as she sipped as carefully as she could from the bottle, leaning back against Tahani. Clearly, Eleanor had been drunk enough to know that pouring an entire bottle of water down her throat was only going to end in grief.

After a few minutes of sitting, Eleanor looked a little brighter, but she was still shivering and cuddling into Tahani. Tahani stroked back Eleanor's sweaty hair with a cool hand. "Are you ready to go, love?"

Eleanor's lower lip started to tremble and she shook her head. "Don't want to go home," she mumbled. "We were having fun until you made me leave."

"You couldn't stand up any longer," Tahani reminded her. "Now, Janet, will you do us a favour, please, and hail a cab?"

Eleanor didn't seem to be able to see reason, however. "I want to stay," she said, her voice now quivering a bit. "You never let me do anything I want to do."

Tahani was mystified. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, darling, but I am sure that getting you home and into bed is the right course of action now."

"You always go out and have fun, and you leave me, so I make my own fun," insisted Eleanor, her voice rising. "I know I'm just a big annoying pain in the ass to you, aren't I?" Her voice was starting to sound more and more belligerent and wobbly, and Janet, coming back from hailing the cab, looked more concerned than ever.

"Let's get her in, Tahani."

"Come on, darling," encouraged Tahani. "Let's stand up, now."

But Eleanor resisted getting to her feet, staying stubbornly put on the bench. Tahani sighed in exasperation. "Look, Eleanor, I know you want to stay, but I'm exhausted and while Janet doesn't feel exhaustion, I'm sure she's also tired of watching you be a stubborn little toddler about this. _Please_ get to your feet."

Eleanor suddenly burst into tears, then, and held onto the bench with both hands. Sharing a look of surprise and exasperation, Tahani waved the cabbie away and sank back down beside Eleanor, pulling her into her arms. This was so unlike Eleanor that Tahani couldn't remember being so confused. But the smaller woman just leaned into her, sobbing as she did that night when she'd wet Tahani's pull-out couch . . . 

A look of understanding dawned on Tahani's face, and she met Janet's knowing eyes. "Oh, she didn't. Did she?" 

Janet nodded gravely. "I'm afraid so."

Tahani gently moved Eleanor's balled up jacket off her lap and looked down at a wet stain, spreading over Eleanor's jeans and down her legs, almost to her knees. "Oh, dear."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," wept Eleanor. "I know it's disgusting and I'm so sorry, I don't know . . ." The end of her sentence was lost in sobbing as Tahani cradled her closer and rubbed her back.

"Shh, shh, oh, darling. Shh." Tahani looked up at Janet. "I suppose this is our fault for not insisting she use the toilet before we left."

"Well," said Janet, pursing her lips, "I have a feeling it may have happened anyway. She's not very big and she's taken in a lot of alcohol tonight."

"'m wet," whimpered Eleanor, and now Tahani could see the puddle under the bench. It was a damn good sight they hadn't gotten into the cab, she thought to herself ruefully. She turned her attention to Eleanor.

"I know you are, darling. You've had a little accident. We're going to get you home to your bed and into some nice dry things in two shakes, all right?" Tahani pulled out her phone and over Eleanor's tousled blonde head, she texted her driver and asked him to line the backseat with plastic bags. "I don't entirely trust her not to wet again," she muttered, putting her phone down.

Eleanor wouldn't let go of Tahani, even when Tahani asked Janet to watch her for a moment so that she could wave down her driver from the road. "No," whimpered Eleanor. "Tahani. I want Tahani."

"Darling, I'll be back in just a moment," reasoned Tahani, really feeling out of her depth with this new, very clingy Eleanor. Even when she'd wet the bed, she hadn't been this toddler-like. "Stay with Janet, please."

But Eleanor had burst into fresh tears and Tahani just gave up. "It's a black Lincoln Town Car," she wearily told Janet. "The man's name is Jerry."

Soon enough, they were all in the back of the Town Car, Tahani ensuring that the dark screen between the front and back seats were up. Eleanor leaned sleepily against Tahani, chewing on the edge of her thumb, her blue eyes drooping as they gazed at the windows going by. She alternately shivered and squirmed, her wet pants clearly uncomfortable. Once or twice, she whimpered, and Janet put a hand on her knee.

"Almost home, Eleanor," she said, her voice reassuring, and Tahani found herself suddenly grateful that Janet was there with them. 

They pulled over once for Eleanor to be sick, though only water came up. "Did she eat anything at all?" Tahani wondered, holding back Eleanor's hair, and then got her answer as Eleanor heaved again. "Well," quipped Tahani, "I'm at least grateful she won't be digesting that, for her own health."

Janet wrinkled her nose. "Humans are kind of disgusting."

"Kind of," agreed Tahani, heaving Eleanor back into the car. Eleanor's eyes were at half-mast, and she was whimpering and rubbing her eyes every few minutes, yawning widely. 

"Sleepy," she murmured.

"I know, darling. We're almost at your home," said Tahani kindly, stroking Eleanor's hair off her forehead. "Good Lord, she really does live out in the suburbs, doesn't she?"

"Thankfully no traffic at this time of night," replied Janet. "We're about 5.76 kilometres away."

Tahani looked down at Eleanor, now still against her side, and noticed that she was sucking her thumb. A warm, affectionate glow rushed through Tahani, and she stroked Eleanor's hair again. "Almost there, little lamb."

Janet looked fascinated. "This is a side of Eleanor I've never seen."

Eleanor closed her eyes and moved closer to Tahani, sighing deeply. Tahani smiled. "Nor I."

//~//

When Tahani had hauled Eleanor out of the car and thanked Jerry for dropping them off, she took stock of the situation. Eleanor, she knew, lived on the second floor of a three-story walk-up, which shouldn't prove too hard to get her up the stairs if she only cooperated with walking. Janet was already looking ahead.

"Are you going to require overnight things? Someone should stay with her tonight, and I'm afraid it might have to be you," said Janet apologetically. "She doesn't really want anything to do with me."

Eleanor leaned sleepily against Tahani. "Want Tahani."

"I know, darling, I'm right here," replied Tahani, and then looked at Janet. "Yes, a few overnight things . . . clearly I won't have time to do my entire facial regimen, but maybe at least the moisturizer and toner. And a nightgown, since I doubt anything Eleanor has is going to fit."

Eleanor sighed, a long sigh, and then seemed to melt into Tahani's arms. At the same time, they heard a soft splattering sound, and Janet looked knowing again. 

"I'm afraid she's wet her pants again."

Tahani stifled an exasperated sound. If Eleanor could only cooperate for five minutes until they could get her up to bed, it would make life so much easier. But Eleanor was already starting to rub her eyes and whimper, and there were a few men on a porch across the road, looking at them all with interest. Not wanting to make any more of a scene than they already were, Tahani simply shifted Eleanor so that most of her weight was on Tahani, and steered her towards the door. 

"Never mind that. Let's just get her up."

It took Eleanor three tries to find her keys before Tahani simply dug through her purse without permission and pulled them out. Eleanor's door stuck, so after a heave against it, they burst into the room to find a surprisingly neat living room and kitchen area, though there were more than a few dirty dishes lying around. However, for Eleanor's standards of housekeeping, it looked fairly good.

Janet smiled. "I've been helping her out a bit."

"Thank God for that," muttered Tahani, heaving Eleanor in through the door. "You know, this would really be easier if --" and she picked Eleanor up bodily, trying to avoid Eleanor's wet bottom coming into contact with her arm and failing. "I assume she has a shower or something."

"She does - a bathtub, actually."

"Good." Tahani carried Eleanor into the single bedroom where an unmade queen-size bed greeted her. However, that was the only thing out of place. There was an Ikea dresser and a small bookshelf with Eleanor's schoolbooks and a few magazines as well.

"I'm going to sponge her off a bit," said Tahani. "Janet, this might be an odd request . . ."

"Nothing is too odd," smiled Janet. "How can I help?"

"Well, she doesn't appear to have much bladder control at the moment, does she?" mused Tahani. She placed a hand on Eleanor's bed after standing the tiny woman up and letting Janet hold her up for awhile and felt a crinkling under the sheets, but Tahani was really not up to changing beds tonight or being wet on, either.

"I think she needs nappies," she said firmly.

Janet didn't blink - in fact, she gently propelled Eleanor, who was holding out her arms to Tahani, back towards the taller woman. "I can do that."

"I know she's a grown woman," said Tahani, quietly starting to strip Eleanor down, "but she's not exactly able to take care of herself at the moment and I'd just feel more confident staying with her if I knew she had some protection."

"Say no more," said Janet, and left the room.

"Arms up, darling," instructed Tahani, taking off Eleanor's water-stained shirt and unhooking her bra. Eleanor let out a sigh of contentment as her bra was removed, and Tahani couldn't stifle a smile. It really was the best part of every day!

Once Eleanor was naked except for her sodden panties, Tahani walked her into the bathroom and filling the sink with warm water, sponged her off with a warm, damp washcloth. She encouraged Eleanor to clean herself, but Eleanor was unable to really even hold the cloth in her hands, and kept whimpering, so Tahani, ignoring how awkward this would be under any other circumstances, simply wiped her off herself.

By the time she was done taking care of Eleanor, sitting her on the toilet one last time before she put her to bed, Janet was back with Tahani's things and a large package of adult diapers. "I hope this will do."

"I think it'll do just fine, thank you, Janet," said Tahani, feeling a bit at a loss. It had been an inspired brainwave, so she had thought, but now that it came time to actually diaper Eleanor . . . she stood a bit awkwardly.

Once again, Janet stepped in. "It's not hard to do," she said. "Lie down, sweetie," she instructed Eleanor, who did as she asked. "And you just slip it under her and tape her up," said Janet brightly. "It's fairly easy."

"Did you learn that tonight?"

"In the last five minutes, actually," smiled Janet, giving Tahani a conspiratorial wink. Tahani laughed.

Eleanor lay quietly, topless on the bed, her eyes closed, barely even reacting to having been diapered like a baby. Tahani, despite her misgivings, couldn't help but find Eleanor adorable in her white diaper, and before she could stop herself, she tickled Eleanor's tummy. Eleanor giggled in response.

"She is pretty adorable," agreed Janet, coming up with a pair of pink pajamas, seemingly from nowhere. "But knowing how tiny she is, that air conditioning is going to cause her to get cold in probably another 3.65 seconds."

Sure enough, Eleanor whimpered and started to shiver. Tahani soothed her. "All right, my love, arms up, that's a girl." Soon enough, Eleanor was dressed in a pair of cotton pajama pants that adorably outlined her diaper and a long-sleeved shirt. She opened her blue eyes and for the first time in hours, smiled.

"That's better, isn't it, darling," Tahani breathed. "Come, get under the covers. Get cozy and warm."

Once Eleanor was in bed, Tahani turned to Janet. "You've been a lifesaver tonight, darling."

"That's what Janets are for," said Janet kindly. "I'll be around in case you need anything for her through the night. I'd maybe place a bucket or bowl beside her. I can't promise she won't be sick again. Oh, and --" She gave Tahani a baby bottle from seemingly nowhere, filled with water. "It might be easier and prevent some spills if you give her water with this."

"Good idea," said Tahani. "You really are a wonder, darling." She kissed Janet's cheek and closed the door to the room, quietly stripping off into her own nightgown, then forgoing everything, climbing into bed beside Eleanor.

Eleanor, who had been asleep, or so Tahani had thought, rolled over and opened her eyes. Then her lower lip began to tremble and she began to cry.

Tahani felt a weariness that she hadn't ever felt in her life. "Oh, sweetheart, what's the trouble? You're dry and clean, I'm right here . . . what could be the matter?" Tahani, usually very exasperated with Eleanor, just felt a sense of desperation that she couldn't seem to help her.

"You stayed," said Eleanor roughly. She rubbed at her eyes, took a long shuddering breath, and hiccupped, letting out a few more sobs. "You stayed here."

"Of course I did, darling. I wasn't going to leave you in that condition."

"No one ever stays," wept Eleanor. "Everyone always leaves, and I can't make them want to stay here."

Tahani took Eleanor in her arms. "Shh, shh. We're friends, Eleanor. Friends help each other. I'm not going to leave you, darling, all right? I'm going to stay here tonight."

Eleanor suddenly turned and pressed her lips to Tahani's, in an act of such pathetic desperation that Tahani almost laughed. Instead, she stroked Eleanor's hair, kissed her back gently (tasting tequila, ugh), and guided her head to Tahani's chest.

"Sweetheart, why do you think I'm going to leave?"

"No one takes care of me," mumbled Eleanor. "My mom and dad never did. My boyfriends never did. No one ever does."

"Janet does, doesn't she?"

"Janet sometimes . . . and now you." Eleanor moved, her diaper crinkling, and Tahani watched as she put a hand to her pajama pants in a sweet, clueless fascination. "A diaper."

"Yes," agreed Tahani. She let Eleanor's words hang in the air as Eleanor's face moved from fascination to embarrassment and slight fascination again.

"Did I have an accident?"

"You had several accidents, darling. You just don't seem to be able to hold your bladder very well when you're drunk, I'm afraid," said Tahani, matter-of-factly. It seemed to be the only way around the extreme embarrassment of the evening, but Eleanor didn't blush.

"And you're still here." Eleanor's voice sounded wondering, and Tahani bowed her head to Eleanor's, kissing her forehead. Suddenly, her heart hurt for this tiny, prickly little woman who constantly pushed everyone away and just needed comfort and love.

"Of course, little lamb. I'm not going anywhere. I, too, know what it's like to have everyone leave when you need them most."

Eleanor's chin quivered at that, and she started to cry again, but softly. And this time, Tahani let her - let her cry herself to sleep, tightly wrapped in Tahani's arms.

And she realized that this had been what was up with Eleanor all along - she just needed a chance to show her what she needed.

Tahani smiled. Maybe it hadn't been the worst night out, after all.


End file.
